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Sunday, January 29, 2012

From the West Coast Correspondent: Red Blends from the 2009 Vintage

I'm pleased to present some new notes from Random Oenophile West Coast Correspondent James Bassett. We talked about this post during the recent Seattle snowstorm, so I applaud his efforts to continue his thoughtful wine drinking under such trying circumstances. Sadly, by the time we thought about him getting pictures of the wine bottles in the snow, it had started raining again. His notes and pictures are below (with some comments by me):

With the new year, a bevy of 2009 blends are hitting the market. How do they compare with the 2008s? Read on to find out!

2009 Desert Wind RuahWahluke Slope, Columbia Valley, WACab Sauv, Cab Franc, and Merlot This medium-bodied Bordeaux blend starts out full of tart red currant and tannins, followed quickly by black cherry, strawberry, and vanilla that pick up those tannins and run with them into a long, very smooth and balanced finish.

R.O. Note: I tasted the 2008 vintage of the Desert Wind Ruah as part of the red speed tasting at the 2010 Wine Bloggers' Conference. My notes were as follows:

2009 Winemaker’sRedMaryhill WineryColumbia Valley, WA40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 20% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Franc (sourced 75% from Milbrandt Vineyards, 25% from Gunkel Family Vineyards) Bright and oakey, this one starts out with a sweet and smoky cherry nose. The bright ripe cherry remains dominant on the palate, but cassis and licorice creep in around the sides, and the finish even adds pepper and . . . nutmeg? Or have I just had too much pumpkin pie? A rich wine, but medium-bodied and delightfully easy to drink. Maryhill was the 2009 Washington Winery of the Year.

R.O. Note: We visited Maryhill after the 2010 Wine Bloggers' Conference and were impressed. A link to that post is here.

2008 Mélange NoirWaterbrook Winery, Columbia Valley,WA33% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Syrah, 11% Malbec, 7% Sangiovese, 11% other varietals A dark, deep purple, transmitting almost no light at all, this wine looks like it would be perfect for Halloween! And with aromas of heavy black stone fruit, spice, and cedar it smells quite deliciously forbidding, too. Well, don’t be scared -- although fruit-heavy with plum, tart cassis and red currant, and black cherry, along with spice, oak, and a even chocolate and a hint of lemon in the finish, this wine is big and tannic in the mouth yet somehow remains medium-bodied. Not exactly delicate, and rather tight in the finish, but still quite nice. Just prepare yourself. . . .

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